Karl-Anthony Towns: I Would Love to Play for the Knicks
Come the 2015 NBA Draft, no team will be under more pressure than the New York Knicks. Phil Jackson has executed his future-oriented vision to perfection, thus far, freeing up cap space and, in some eyes, tanking his way to a Top 5 draft pick.
The Knicks have the second-highest odds of landing the No. 1 overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft. Should they land that pick, a large population of the basketball community believes they’ll be inclined to draft Karl-Anthony Towns of the Kentucky Wildcats.
It doesn’t seem as though Towns would be opposed to such a possibility.
According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, Towns had nothing but praise for Jackson in a recent interview.
"“It’s his presence,’’ Towns told The Post. “What [Phil Jackson] means to me, his presence is just amazing. What was so awesome as a coach, he made every player better and put them in the best position to succeed. He’s just so smart and intelligent and has so much experience. He knows how to win. At the end of the day, what every player wants to do is win.”"
While that’s clearly stating the obvious, it’s also a sign that Towns is intrigued by what Jackson and company have to offer.
Towns was a die-hard Knicks fan growing up in New Jersey. Admittedly, that’s more of an interesting factoid than a franchise-altering piece of information considering the draft will determine where Towns lands.
Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that Towns would, “Love,” to play for the Knicks.
"“If I have the opportunity to ever play for the Knicks, that’s what I would love to do.’’"
The next question was the logical one: does Towns have a preference for where he’s drafted?
"“A lot of my friends ask me that,’’ Towns said. “I say the same thing: Wherever the chips fall, the chips fall. I’m just happy to have the opportunity to join the elite group of players in the NBA.’’"
Towns played the political route, but Knicks fans can still rejoice.
The fortunate news is that, whether he’s drafted by New York or not, Towns has publicly-stated his interest in joining the team. The unfortunate news is that if he’s not drafted by the Knicks, it would take roughly a half-decade before he’d become a restricted free agent.
It’d take even longer before he enters unrestricted free agency. Perhaps holding out hope isn’t the healthiest of ideas.
With the legitimate possibility that he falls to New York in the draft, it may not be as much of a pipe dream as it seems.
Towns is a player whom Jackson appears to covet. When speaking on what the Knicks plan to do with their first-round draft pick, Jackson claimed New York has, “Gotta have a defender.”
Jahlil Okafor is the premier offensive player in this draft class, while Towns is, arguably, the top interior defender. Thus, the assumption has been made that the Knicks prefer Towns to Okafor—Ian Begley and Chad Ford of ESPN confirmed that belief with a sourced report.
Regardless of which route New York follows in the 2015 NBA Draft, Towns’ desire to play for the Knicks will be the source of many headlines over the next two months.
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